Rock Candy
by TheLostMaximoff
Summary: When your love is unrequited, Valentine's Day can be the worst day ever.
1. The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Rock Candy

By TheLostMaximoff

Disclaimer: Don't own this stuff.  I figured it was about time I actually did a real story instead of POV stuff.  R/R if you like.  Oh yeah, for all you people who say it's unrealistic to forget Valentine's Day I actually know people who have before.  It wasn't pretty.

            Lance groaned.  His alarm clock was making a very annoying noise.  He was about to go back to sleep when suddenly a very foul-smelling something crashed onto his bed and began bouncing up and down.

            "What the hell?" asked Lance as Toad continued jumping on his bed, "Toad, go back to bed."

            "Lance," said Toad in a tone usually reserved for life-and-death emergencies, "C'mon man, I gotta get to tha mall, yo."

            "What?" asked Lance groggily as Toad continued to use his bed for a trampoline, "Cut that out!"  Toad didn't stop until the house started shaking.

            "C'mon," said Toad, "I gotta get to the mall."

            "Okay," said Lance as he rolled out of bed and stumbled towards the shower, "Why are you in such a big rush?"

            "Duh," replied Toad as if it was obvious, "C'mon man, don't you know what today is?"

            "Saturday," replied Lance.

            "No," replied Toad.  Lance looked puzzled.  He could've sworn it was Saturday.

            "Sunday?" asked Lance.

            "No, I don't mean that," said Toad, "I meant today's a very special Saturday.  Can you guess why?"

            "No clue," replied Lance as he began taking a shower.  He thought about it for a minute.  Toad's birthday wasn't anywhere near now and plus he wouldn't be this hyperactive.  Christmas?  No.  Halloween?  No.  Wanda's birthday?  No, Pietro would've announced it like a month in advance since it would've been his too.  Some weird anniversary maybe?

            "It's Valentine's Day, dude," said Toad, "Now hurry up, I gotta get Wanda something."  Lance groaned.  He completely forgot about Valentine's Day.  It's not like he wanted to remember it, not since he and Kitty broke up.

            "Toad, she's not going to want anything from you," said Lance as he finished his shower and started getting dressed, "You might not have noticed it but even Pietro gets better treatment from her than you do."

            "That's gonna change, man," assured Toad, "Once I get her the best gift ever she'll have to love me."  Lance sighed as he finished dressing and grabbed his keys.  Couldn't Toad see that this was a train wreck waiting to happen?

            "Alright," consented Lance, "I'll take you to the mall.  Beats sitting around all day."  Toad practically pushed him down the stairs and out the door.

            Pink.  Everywhere he looked there was pink.  Pink balloons, pink hearts, pink flowers, pink letters, pink sweaters worn by girls with adorable eyes and. . ..  No, he was not going to think about Kitty.  He refused to spend Valentine's Day moping about it.  He screwed up, time to move on.  Time to forget about her, forget about how wonderful her smile was, forget about how cute she was, forget about. . ..  Lance resisted the urge to slap himself in public.  He was doing it again.  He couldn't stop thinking about her.  It was driving him insane.

            "I got it," declared Toad.  Both boys had taken a break after an unsuccessful run at Toad's quest.  They were now sitting on a bench sipping some sodas.  Actually, Lance was on the bench and Toad was crouched on the railing still peering around for ideas.

            "What now?" asked Lance.  They had tried everything but found nothing.  Shopping for someone like Wanda was almost impossible.  Kitty, on the other hand. . ..  Lance groaned again.

            "Underwear," said Toad as he eyed the Victoria Secrets store, "Nothing says 'I love you' like some sexy lingerie, right?"

            "Yeah, and nothing says 'you're a slimeball' like the coma she'll put you in if you give her that," replied Lance as he shook his head sadly, "Todd, this is totally hopeless."

            "No way," replied Toad, "We just gotta sit here until I think of something.  C'mon, you had a girlfriend once.  You hafta know something."

            Lance sighed.  He had a girlfriend once.  A bright, cheerful, hopelessly optimistic girlfriend who thought they could beat the odds.  Just when Lance was starting to believe it himself, Kitty saw the real Lance and all her hope went out the window.

            "Toad, why are you doing this?" asked Lance, "I mean it's pretty clear she's never going to like you.  Why do you keep letting the door slam you in the face?"

            "Because I love her, yo," replied Toad, "She's the world to me.  You know what that's like, Lance.  I mean you still got a thing for Kitty even after she dumped you."

            "No I. . ." started Lance but then hung his head in defeat.  Might as well admit it, "Okay, yeah I still love her."

            "See," said Toad, "You're just scared of getting hit in the face with the door.  You'd try again just like me if you weren't afraid of getting hurt."

            "I'm not scared," stated Lance, "I just think it's hopeless.  I mean you were there, Todd, you saw how upset and hurt she was.  You heard what she said."

            "Big deal," replied Toad nonchalantly, "If there's one thing I learned from chasing Wanda it's that actions are louder than words.  What you need to do is show her you still care.  It doesn't matter what you two said to each other.  You still love her and she probably still loves you."

            "Toad," said Lance, "That's probably the best idea you've had today."  Toad smiled a mouthful of green teeth.

            "That's the spirit," he said, "See, the way I figure it is girls that make you feel the way we feel about Wanda and Kitty only come around once in a lifetime if you're lucky.  When you find one you can't give up on it no matter how many times you get shot down."

            "How'd you get so smart?" asked Lance.  Toad shrugged.  He hadn't known he was that smart.  If he was really smart he'd think of something to get Wanda.  There was a fly passing in front of his face.  He involuntarily snatched it with his tongue.  Wait a minute.  That was it!

            "I got it!" he cried as he hopped over to the directory, "Oh please let there be one here."  Lance took a sip of his soda and stared quizzically at his friend.

            "Wait here," ordered Toad, "I'll be back in a sec."  Lance nodded as Toad ran off.  Lance couldn't imagine what his mysterious mind had come up with now.  There were some days that he really couldn't figure Toad out.  He had been right though.  Lance knew he should talk to Kitty, maybe they could finally sort out this whole mess.  It was stupid of him to be scared.  He had never been scared about telling her he loved her before so why start now?

            "I got it," beamed Toad as he held up a bag, "It's perfect."

            "What is it?" asked Lance as he eyed the bag suspiciously.  He wasn't quite sure he really wanted to know.

            "C'mere," said Toad.  Lance bent down as Toad whispered something in his ear.  His eyebrow arched skeptically.

            "You're sure about this?" he asked.  Toad nodded happily.  Lance sighed.  Who was he to detain a man on a mission of true love?

            "You think she'll like it?" asked Toad nervously.

            "It's definitely different," admitted Lance, "and it's definitely you.  Go for it, man."  Toad nodded and smiled.

            Wanda was the only one around when Lance and Toad finally returned.  Lance decided he would go upstairs and think about some things while Toad gave Wanda his present.  He didn't want to be around when the sparks started to fly.

            "Where's everybody else?" asked Toad as he ambled up to Wanda with the box behind his back.

            "Pietro had dates," said Wanda with a mild tone of disgust, "I don't know where Freddy went."  Toad nodded nervously.

            "Uhm, Wanda," he said, "I kinda, well since it's Valentine's Day and all, I kinda got you something."  Wanda eyed him skeptically as he produced his present.  She smiled.  It was very sweet of him.

            "I hope you like chocolate," said Toad as Wanda took the box carefully and made sure it wouldn't explode or something before she opened it.

            "Thank you, Toad," said Wanda, "That was very sweet of you."

            "Go on, try one," urged Toad.  Wanda took a piece and bit into it.  It had a very unusual taste to it.  It was really crunchy too.

            "You like?" asked Toad hopefully.  Wanda didn't say anything as she swallowed.  There was something about the taste that was really weird.

            "Toad?" she asked, "What exactly are these?"

            "Well," said Toad, "that one was a cricket.  The big ones are grasshoppers and those fat, round ones are grubs.  Try those next, they look really good."

            "They're bugs," coughed Wanda.  She should've known.  This was Toad, after all.

            "Chocolate-covered insects," replied Toad proudly, "I got them at the science and nature store in the mall today."  Wanda turned a very unflattering shade of green.

            "Oh honey, you're speechless," said Toad, "That's good, right?"  Wanda ran upstairs to the bathroom.  Toad glumly looked down at the box.  He decided to go after her but snagged a grub before doing so.  He was right, they were really good.  He couldn't understand why Wanda didn't like them.

            "Maybe she's allergic," he said to himself as he popped a grasshopper into his mouth.

            Lance's reverie was interrupted by the unceremonious sound of someone throwing up.  He snickered to himself and hoped Wanda didn't hex Toad too hard for giving her his present.  He had to admit it was a clever if terribly unsuccessful idea.  He stared at his clock.  Would Kitty be in her room?  He should call her, tell her that he still loved her.  Why had he said that to her?  He was angry, frustrated at the situation.  Her timing and choice of words hadn't helped either.

            "I'll never be good enough for you," he repeated to himself.  Was it true?  He didn't want to think so.  He wanted to think being himself was enough for her.  Well, at least the self she loved.  He wasn't himself when he was around her, he was someone better.  He was the someone he always wanted to be.  All it took was her smile and he knew he was a better person.  She helped make him something more than what he'd ever been without her.

            "That does it," he stated as he picked up the phone and dialed her number.  He held his breath and waited.

            "Yeah, Rogue?" asked Lance as soon as he heard the unmistakable Southern drawl, "Look, it's Lance.  Is Kitty around?"  His face fell.  She wasn't home, she'd gone out with some friends.

            "Okay," said Lance, "Listen just have her call me.  Please Rogue, I seriously need to talk to her.  I have to tell her something, something I should've told her awhile ago."  He nodded.  Rogue knew the situation and promised to pass along the message.  He knew he could count on her.  Once a Brotherhood member, always a Brotherhood member.  Lance hung up the phone and stared at it.  Had she thought of him at all today?  Was she thinking of him now?  Lance stared at the phone and waited.  He could hear the water running, apparently Wanda was still trying to get the taste of Toad's present out of her mouth.  He sighed, it was going to be a long night.


	2. Back Together by Popular Conspiracy

**Rock Candy (Part Two)**

By TheLostMaximoff

Disclaimer: Honestly, do you read this?  Anyways, I don't own this stuff.  Since everybody said I should continue this thing I thought up a part two.  Proof that I do listen to people.

            She hadn't called.  Big surprise.  It wasn't like she should've felt obligated to or anything but Lance hoped she would've at least given him a chance again.  He guessed his luck with small favors had run out.

            "Yo, Lance," said Pietro as he knocked on Lance's door, "You gonna mope about Pryde all day or have breakfast?"  Lance sighed and continued to stare at the cracked ceiling.  He just didn't feel like getting up today.  What was the point?

            "Hey Lance, ya dead yet?" asked Toad, "Hey, can I borrow your guitar?  I wanna give Wanda a morning serenade."  Lance sighed again.  Was he dead yet?  Might as well have been.

            "No, Todd," he replied with little effort, "Look, I'll be down soon."  'Make that never,' he thought to himself.  He didn't hear anything on the other side of the door.  They were gone, good.  Now he could get back to wasting away.  He looked over to watch his door unlock itself.

            "Wanda?" he asked as Wanda slipped into the room and relocked the door, "What're you doing?"

            "I was just trying to hide from Toad," replied Wanda a little too quickly.  Lance looked at her as she turned a chair backwards and sat down to stare at him.  He smiled.  She was concerned about him.

            "Awww," he said, "Did you come to cheer me up?"  Wanda gave him an angry glare.

            "Please," she scoffed, "I threw up enough last night, don't make me do it again."  Lance snickered at that.  Toad's present for Valentine's Day.  The little frog must be a glutton for punishment.

            "So, you just gonna stare at the ceiling all day?" asked Wanda as she watched Lance.  Lance nodded his head.

            "God, you're so pathetic," stated Wanda, "I mean look at you.  So she dumped you, big deal.  Life goes on.  Suck it up for God's sake."

            "I know what you're trying to do," said Lance, "You're trying to get me to stop thinking about Kitty."

            "No," replied Wanda, "I just enjoy seeing how much of a loser you are."

            "Not gonna work," sang Lance in a bored tone, "I appreciate the effort though."  Wanda just stared at him for a little bit.  What was it going to take?

            "God, Lance," she said in an exasperated tone, "Can't you see we're worried about you?"  Lance smiled.  She had said "we".

            "'We'?" asked Lance, "Who all falls into that category?"

            "You know damn well who," replied Wanda, "Lance, you're our friend, my friend.  Get the hell out of bed so I can quit being so damn nice."  She really did look concerned.  From anybody other than Wanda Lance wouldn't have given it a second thought.  Was he really that bad off?

            "I really do appreciate what you're trying to do," said Lance, "but I just don't want to get up, okay?"  Wanda's face said it wasn't okay.  He didn't have much time to contemplate it.  His bed suddenly stood up on its end and dumped him, face first, into the floor.

            "I'm sorry, that wasn't a negotiable term," said Wanda.  Lance muttered a curse as he tried to climb back into bed.  He put his hand on the bedpost and got shocked.

            "What'd you do?" he asked as he retracted his hand.

            "That bed is off limits," stated Wanda, "Now go take a shower.  You're starting to give Toad competition."  Lance glared at her.  She wasn't going to back down on this.

            "Alright," he muttered as he headed for the shower.  Wanda heaved a sigh of relief.  That had been her last resort.  She sighed and shook her head.  If Kitty could only see how miserable he was she'd take him back.

            "Lucky girl," she muttered, "Wish some guy felt that way about me."  She thought about Toad and then shook her head.  She meant some other guy.  Anyone but Toad.  Still, it had been very sweet of him to try and get her a gift for Valentine's Day.  She almost gagged as she remembered last night.  Chocolate bugs?

            "I must still be sick," she muttered, "I actually thought about being nice to him."

            Okay, he was up.  What was the big freakin' deal?  Was he missing anything?  No.  Just the usual Sunday crap-fest on TV and the usual annoyance of Toad driving Wanda crazier than she used to be.  Same old, Same old.  What did it really matter if he was or wasn't around?

            "Alright," said Wanda, "I think it's time for some socialization."  Lance's eyebrows arched.  When had Wanda become the freakin' house activities director?

            "Time for a mall run," said Wanda, "Everybody in the car."

            "Geez, sis," said Pietro, "Who died and made you princess?"  Wanda gave him an icy stare.

            "Get into the car," she said through gritted teeth as she jerked her head towards Lance.  Pietro looked confused but then realized that something was going on.

            "Oh yeah, the mall," he said, "Great idea, sis.  Well, let's go everybody."

            "Why're we. . .?" asked Freddy but Pietro quickly herded him out the door, not an easy thing considering Freddy's size.

            "C'mon, Lance," urged Wanda, "Don't you wanna go to the mall?"

            "Not really," replied Lance.  Why was Wanda so insistent about this?

            "Lance," said Wanda, "Don't make me zap you."  Lance threw his hands in the air and finally gave up.

            "Okay," he said, "I guess I'm driving."

            "That's the spirit, Lance," cooed Wanda, "and remember we're only doing this because we love you."  Lance rolled his eyes and sighed.  Some sort of conspiracy was obviously at work here.

            Lance didn't see what was so important about the mall that they simply had to be there.  The mall was the same as always, no change.  Why was today a good day to be at the mall?

            "This is boring," stated Lance, "Why're we even here?"

            "Because you need to get out more," stated Wanda.  What the hell was this?  Wanda, the most antisocial person on the planet, said he needed to get out more.  Something was definitely wrong here.

            "Okay," he said, "I don't know what's going on here but I've had it."

            "I don't know what you mean," said Pietro in a sugary voice, "Say, sis, isn't that our good friend, Rogue, over there?"  Lance looked over in the general direction and suddenly everything clicked into place.  He had been suckered into a trap.

            "Why I believe so," replied Wanda, "and look, Kitty's with her."  Lance groaned as Rogue came over to where the Brotherhood was sitting.  She practically had to drag Kitty with her.

            "Toad," said Wanda, "be a dear and let our guests sit down, would you?"  Toad looked confused for a second but then nodded and gave up his seat next to Lance on the bench.

            "G'wan, Kitty," nudged Rogue, "He ain't gonna bite ya."

            "This is totally grounds for being held against my will," said Kitty as she sat next to Lance, "I bet you like thought this up."

            "Me?" asked Lance, "Oh yeah right."  That was just pathetic.  He wasn't that bad.

            "Actually," said Rogue, "Me an' Wanda had ourselves ah little talk on the phone tahday while ya'll were busy bein' miserable.  We're jus' gonna let you two sit here and sort thangs out."

            "You can't leave us here," said Lance, "Todd, Freddy, c'mon."

            "No can do, man," replied Toad as he motioned to Blob, "Hey, let's check out that Chinese place in the food court."

            "Sounds good to me," replied Freddy.

            "How about we all go," offered Rogue, "Ah'm sure these two wanna be alone."

            "You like know you can't keep me here," said Kitty.  Wanda smiled a smile that was half sweet and half sadistic.

            "Try me, sweetie," she said as she, Rogue, and the rest of the Brotherhood left Lance and Kitty alone on the bench.

            "This is totally ridiculous," said Kitty, "I have nothing to say to you."  She tried to get up but found herself stuck to the bench.

            "You don't know Wanda very well," said Lance, "We're stuck here unless she says otherwise."

            "I'm not talking to you," stated Kitty as she folded her arms and sat on the bench.

            "Good," grumbled Lance as he did the same.  Neither of them said anything for a long time.  They just sat there in silence.

            "So you an' Rogue got all this figured out?" asked Toad.  Wanda nodded and sipped her iced tea.  Toad shook his head in disbelief and snagged an egg roll with his tongue, "Why'd you go to all this trouble?"

            "Didn't anyone tell you it's not polite to talk with your mouth full?" asked Wanda, trying to dodge the question.  She wished Rogue, Pietro, and Freddy hadn't left to check out the video arcade.

            "Didn't anyone tell you it's impolite to not answer someone's question?" asked Toad, "You got a thing for Lance or somethin'?"  Wanda snorted.

            "Hardly," she replied, "I don't know why I did this.  It's just he looked so pathetic.  I could tell he really did care about her.  Some little voice in my head kept nagging at me to help him."

            "That's called your conscience, honey," said Toad, "Does that voice say anything about me?"  Wanda felt his arm slide around her shoulder.

            "It says if you want that arm to stay attached you better get it off me," she replied, "I don't think I like this whole conscience thing."  Toad nodded and retracted his arm.

            "Hey, Wanda," he said, "I'm sorry about last night.  I guess it was kinda a stupid present."  There was that damn conscience again.  Wanda sighed.  'Give an inch and they take a mile,' she thought.

            "Hey, guess what," she said, "They came up with a new holiday.  It's called Be Nice to a Toad Day."  Toad perked up.

            "Really?" he asked, "When is it?"

            "Apparently it only comes around when little frog boys like you apologize for doing something sweet but stupid," she replied, "Must be your lucky day.  How much money have you got?"

            "About twenty or thirty," replied Toad, "Why?"

            "If I see something in your price range that I absolutely can't live without then maybe I'll let you buy it for me," said Wanda, "and if you promise to behave I'll let you come shopping with me."

            "Deal," replied Toad, "Hey, how come you're bein' so nice?"

            "I'm having an off-day," replied Wanda, "Now come on, we've got places to go."  Toad nodded as he hopped after Wanda.

            This was stupid.  They had been sitting in silence for what felt like an eternity.  Neither one of them could get up thanks to Wanda.  Kitty couldn't even phase through the bench thanks to the Scarlet Witch.

            "Okay, that's it," said Lance, "We're going to start talking now."  He had had enough of it.  Kitty didn't say anything.

            "C'mon," urged Lance, "Kit, please say something.  Anything.  Tell me what's going on at school, the geek mansion.  Just talk for God's sake."  She still didn't respond.  Lance had to admit she was cute when she was angry.

            "Okay, I'm sorry," he admitted, "Is that what you want?  Please, Kit, I don't want for us to be like this anymore.  I love you."

            "It's not enough this time, Lance," replied Kitty, "You lied to me.  You like don't do that to people you love.  You don't put up a front around them either."

            "Kit," pleaded Lance, "I didn't mean what I said.  I'm sorry, that person you saw that night wasn't the real me.  It used to be but I'm trying to change, honestly.  I'm trying to be better because of you."

            "Do you really mean that?" asked Kitty as she looked at him, "I want you to be like totally honest with me, Lance."

            "Of course I do," replied Lance.  Was she seriously that dense?  Couldn't she see the change?

            "I've made so many sacrifices for you, Kit," said Lance, "I've done everything for you, tried to be what you wanted.  It's all been because I love you."

            "I know," she sniffed as she hugged him, "I just wanted to hear you say it.  Oh Lance, I was like totally miserable without you."

            "Me too," admitted Lance, "The guys had to drag me out of bed today."

            "Rogue had to do that to me too," said Kitty, "Lance, you know last night when you like called?  I was at home but I didn't want to talk so I had Rogue make up something totally lame.  I'm so sorry."

            "Don't ever do that again," said Lance, "and let's not ever fight again, okay?"

            "Okay," agreed Kitty as she kissed him on the cheek, "I'm really sorry.  I know you've tried to change.  I love you for doing that just because of me."

            "I'm sorry about that night," said Lance, "I just get really frustrated sometimes and I do stupid stuff."

            "Do you think it's like safe to get up now?" asked Kitty.  Lance shrugged.  Wanda could maintain a hex almost indefinitely if she kept up her concentration but if she slipped up then it would wear off eventually.  He decided to see and moved to get up.  He did so with no problem.

            "Hey, how'd you get here?" he asked suddenly.  He had the perfect idea for paying Wanda back for all this.

            "Scott gave us a ride," said Kitty, "He's like picking us up too."  She got up off the bench as well.

            "Tell Summers you've got a ride," said Lance with a smile, "C'mon, let's go back to the house for some privacy."  Kitty's eyebrow arched.

            "What about the others?" she asked, "You're just going to like leave them here?"

            "I owe Wanda a 'thank you'," replied Lance with a smile, "You got a pen?"

            "Yeah," replied Kitty as Lance pulled a napkin out of his pocket, "Why?"

            "Gonna leave 'em a little note," replied Lance with another smile.  This was gonna be priceless.

            "Well, let's see how the lovebirds are doing," said Pietro as the rest of the group made their way over to where they had left Lance and Kitty, "Hey, sis, looks like ya goofed."  Wanda stared at the empty bench in surprise.

            "Oh big deal," replied Wanda, "I wasn't going to keep them there forever anyways."  She looked around.  Where had they gone to?

            "Hey, Toad?" asked Freddy, "What's that on your shoe?"  Toad looked down and saw he'd stepped on something.

            "It's stuck on there with bubblegum," he said as he peeled the napkin off his shoe and looked at it, "Hey, it's a note from Lance."

            "Well read it then," said Wanda as Toad sat on the bench and everyone crowded around to see what it said.

            "It says," said Toad, "'Hey guys.  Me and Kitty got back together again thanks to your help.  We decided to thank you with a little surprise.  Come out to the jeep.  Lance.'  Hey, you think they bought us somethin'?"

            "Where did we park?" asked Wanda.  Pietro sighed.

            "Right side, thirty-eighth row, fourth spot," he replied.  Sometimes it was such a curse having a quick memory like his.

            "Well," said Freddy, "Let's go see what it is."

            "Have ta rain check," said Rogue, "Scott's probably waitin' for me.  Send Kitty over our way when ya see her."

            "Right," mumbled Wanda.  Something fishy was going on around here.

            "Where's the car?" asked Toad.  The four kids stood around in the parking lot in the space where Lance's jeep used to be.

            "Pietro, go see if Rogue's left," ordered Wanda.  Pietro was gone and back in five minutes.

            "Checked the whole mall," he said, "She's gone.  Hey, sis, what's this on here?"  Pietro pulled off a piece of paper that had been duct tapped to a nearby lamppost.

            "Gimme that," said Wanda as she snatched the paper from his hands and began to read it, "'Dear guys, thanks for all the hard work you put into getting us back together.  We wanted to let you know we appreciate it.  Lance.  P.S. to Wanda: I only left you here because I love you.'"

            "I'll kill him," growled Wanda as the paper spontaneously caught fire and burned to ash.  A huge chorus of car alarms suddenly went off.  Lights began flashing on and off, "He's a dead man."

            "So whatta we do now?" asked Freddy.

            "Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm going home," said Pietro as he turned to his still-fuming sister, "Oh please, sis, lighten up.  You started all this in the first place with that little trick."

            "Hey, I was just trying to be nice," explained Wanda, "That's the last time that happens.  I mean sure we had to drag his ass here and then stick him to that bench but can't he take a joke?"

            "One of you obviously can't," mumbled Pietro.

            "What was that?" asked Wanda, "You must learn to speak up, dear brother."

            "I said I'm late for a date, gotta run," said Pietro with a smile.  With that, he was gone.  Wanda snarled and kicked at a lamppost.  Another round of car alarms went off.

            "Well, guess we'll have ta walk," said Toad.  Wanda said nothing as she started marching towards home, her boots making clomping noises on the pavement.  The noises pounded out a steady rhythm that kept time with the mantra in her head.  'Kill Lance, kill Lance, kill Lance.'

            "We could hitchhike," suggested Freddy.

            "Uh uh man, no way," said Toad, "We might get picked up by some crazies, yo."

            Clomp, clomp, clomp.  Kill Lance, kill Lance, kill Lance.

            "Ahh you seen too many horror movies," replied Freddy as the duo trailed after Wanda, "Besides, don't crazies hitchhike instead o' picking people up?"  Wanda ignored them both.  She just concentrated on getting home.  That and killing Lance.

            "Still man, I don't think it's safe," said Toad, "Ya never know with crazies."

            "Ahh there's no crazies in Bayville," said Freddy.

            Clomp, clomp, clomp.  Kill Lance, kill Lance, kill Lance.

            "Well, there's Wanda," said Toad.  Freddy nodded.  Toad had a point there.  Wanda sighed as she continued trudging home.

            "I'm hungry," announced Freddy, "Hey, Todd, I just thought o' somethin'.  How do they get those little 'm's' on the M&M's?"

            "Beats me," replied Toad, "I guess they stole it from tha Skittles people."

            "Yeah, how do they do it too?" asked Freddy.  Toad shrugged.

            "Maybe Wanda knows," said Toad, "Hey, sweetie, can you answer a question for us?"

            Clomp, clomp, clomp.  Kill Lance, kill Lance, kill Lance.  Wanda sighed again.  It was going to be a long night and an even longer walk home.

            "Damn conscience," she muttered to herself.


End file.
